Tales of New Republic City
by kmeezy
Summary: Set 3-4 years after the end of season 4, Tales of New Republic City is a collection of short stories exploring the growth and development of Republic City and its people as it builds itself from the rubble. The first story centers around Mako, but it will probably branch out from there afterwards. All canon pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Tales of New Republic City**

A/N: I don't own anything ever.

Intro: This is a fic born out of a desire to flesh out Mako's character more. Much as I loved LoK, I think Mako deserves some more love and respect as a character, and I thought this would be an interesting and fun way to take it. No real end planned, just a series of short stories, probably not even all centered on Mako (but these first few are), where I take a peek into what I imagine the lives of our favorite team Avatar years after s4. All canon parings in this fic. Hope you enjoy it!

_CHAPTER 1: The Heart Grows Stronger_

Mako sat outside the interrogation window. He was watching the chief grill a young, grizzled looking man, late 30's. His face was peppered with unkempt stubble and a rude scar cut through the left cheek of his face. Mako had briefed himself on the context of the case beforehand, but by this point in his life, he had grown into a top-notch investigator. He could read subtle clues about the suspect's behavior and responses, and internally maintained a list of all the discrepancies. He didn't do this out of worry; Chief Beifong was excellent at her job, and he could hear her respond to the man's cues in much the same way. This guy was toast, he thought to himself.

it was three years after Mako, Bolin, Korra, Asami, and the rest of the rag-tag group of benders and non-benders had taken down Kuvira's "giant smashing machine", as Varrick was fond of describing it. In that time, the city had grown, and by necessity, so had the people who lived there. Mako was now second-in-command, taking orders directly from Chief Beifong. At first, his ascension was plagued with rumors of favoritism; it was no secret that Lin had worked many times with the Avatar and her friends, and many thought Mako's connection to the Avatar had played at least some role in his quick rise to power and responsibility within the Police Department. The rumors were soon quashed, however, by a major crime ring bust headed by Mako, in which he had single-handedly deduced the hiding spot of the reformed Triads, and found the evidence which was incriminating enough to put Chao, known amongst the darker side of Republic City as simply The Eye, behind bars for good.

His past three years had also been marred with strife and struggle. He took a major hit from a noble lightening-bending strike in the heart of Kuvira's machine. His arm was still scarred; he knew it would always be a reminder of that fateful day for the city. But the lightening had come dangerously close to striking his heart, and a few months ago he had collapsed suddenly while in a council meeting with the Avatar and President Raikoh, who was now in his last year of his last term. He had lived through the incident, no doubt thanks to the immediate and quick response Korra gave him, but the doctors were solemn after he woke up in a hospital bed. He would have to be careful, they told him, to not bend lightening anymore, and certainly not be struck by it ever again. His heart, they said, was weaker, as it had been damaged by the strike to his chest. Certainly it wasn't terminal, and there were many firebenders who could not or chose not to bend lightening, but the news dampened his noble and diligent spirit. He wasn't ready, at his young age, to be told that things weren't working correctly in his own body.

Mako dealt with the news the only way he knew how: by strengthening the rest of his person, in every way he could. He had grown substantially since his first encounter with Korra in the pro-bending circuit. He knew now, more maturely, what kind of person he was. He had drive, and he could be impatient, but he had learned to be grounded in his own perseverance. He looked at his life, and his job and his personality, and was proud that he never stopped fighting.

So Mako, functionally losing his lightening bending, took to strengthening his mind. He carefully studied Chief Beifong when he could, learning all the subtle tricks of policing and detective work that normally would take years to master. He had no illusions of being the best, he simply knew what he didn't know, and used that knowledge to his advantage. It was a very practical kind of wisdom. And even in that moment, right then, he was taking time out of his lunch break to watch the Chief verbally tie the noose for this suspect in the booth. He cracked a wry smile.

Beifong stepped out and slammed the door shut, and he saw the man inside wince. He looked up at her. "Looking good, Chief", he said with a chuckle.

"Can you believe this guy? Says he was at Kwong's Cuisine with his ladyfriend and that's why he knows nothing about the murder. Pretty sure I've never seen anyone walk into Kwong's before looking like they haven't showered in a week." The two of them shared a laugh. "What are you doing out here, kid? It's your break time."

"Ah, you know. Gotta watch the best when I can."

Lin snickered. "You think kissing ass is gonna get you anywhere, Mako? You're already as far at the top as you can go, minus my job."

Mako knew she was just giving him a hard time. It wasn't that no one else worked as hard as Mako did; the force was full of diligent and honest working people. It was just that Mako was so focused when he applied his efforts that his personal growth was evident to everyone on the force. He commanded respect now, in his mid twenties in civil service. Not many people had ever made such a claim before.

"Actually," Lin continued, "I've been meaning to talk to you about that." Mako's eyes widened a little bit.

"Chief...?"

"I've been doing a lot of thinking, kid. These last few years have been crazy, and I've learned a lot."

"Slow down, Lin, you being all introspective is gonna take out my heart here." Mako almost never referred to Chief Beifong by her first name, out of professional respect. Clearly this was a serious matter.

"I'm serious, Mako. I think it's coming up. I'm going to retire at the end of the year."

Mako blinked twice. Once because he had to, twice because he didn't know what else to do with himself. He was stunned.

"You're...going to retire?"

"Oh, come on, is it really that hard to see me doing anything else besides work?!" Lin threw up her hands a little.

"I didn't mean it like that Chief...it's just..."

"Don't start with some 'I'm not ready to be chief' nonsense. You see anyone else watching an interrogation on their lunch break?"

"That wasn't what I was going to say. I guess I'm just really surprised. You're in your element here, Lin. And I know your life hasn't been always the happiest, but I always felt like you needed this place just as much as it needs you."

Lin gave Mako a hard look before sitting down next to him on the bench. Another officer walked in and escorted the main in the interrogation room back to a holding cell. When they were both gone, she resumed.

"Mako, I don't know what to tell you. I may look it on the outside, but I'm not the same person I was when you first joined the force. I've seen a lot of things change. I watched this whole city get blown to the ground, and then watch as it rise back up. I made amends with my family, hell, I even saw my mom again. I gave her a hug." She paused to let that sink in. "I...I'm ready, Mako. I'm finally ready to give my life another chance."

Mako looked hard at his boss. She was the closest friend he had in the force. They had helped each other and helped the Avatar several times in the past, and as a duo, they had quickly enforced the stability necessary for the rebuilding of a city. Mako wasn't sure if he was ready, not because he didn't think he was qualified, but because in his mind, the Chief was Lin, and Lin was the Chief, and that was all there was to it.

"We've got to formalize the details, but I want you to take my place when I finally step aside." Lin continued, unaffected by the silence. "Every person in the city knows who you are, Mako. You're a respected person in Republic City. You've done a lot of great things for this place, you got the arm and the heart to show for that. Republic City will be in good hands."

There was a pause.

"Are you going to just sit their in silence for the rest of your life?"

Mako shook his head. He stood up and Lin followed suit. All of a sudden, he put his arms around his friend. Her eyes opened wide, but she smiled a small, Beifong smile, and returned the hug.

"You're a good person, Lin. I'm happy for you," was all Mako said.

Lin stepped away and looked at Mako. She was thankful that he had taken the news as well as he did. She had full confidence, too, that he would lead the city competently and strongly.

"Think of it this way, you'll be the first chief of police that's not from my messed-up family," Lin said with a smile. "But don't get too excited! There's plenty of work to be done before the year's over."

Mako saluted his boss, almost in jest. "Yes ma'am!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Tales Of New Republic City**

A/N I don't own anything ever. This is a continuation of the first chapter. hope you enjoy it!

Mako clocked out at sunset. He often stayed longer than everyone else in the office, with the exception of Lin, to put the final touches on a report or press release, or to organize his to-do list for the next day. Mako was like Beifong in a lot of ways. He thrived in his work. Perhaps he wasn't consumed by it the way that the Chief had been for so long, but he took it seriously. The city needed people like him, working behind the glamour and flashing cameras of the politicians to implement the changes and laws of the land. His connection to the Avatar, however, ensured that Mako always took the considerations of others before himself and his department. He was there to serve first, he made sure to remind himself constantly. Modeling himself somewhat after Korra and the Avatar, he sought to maintain a balance between order, security, and freedom for the people of the city.

Many days, Mako would finish a day of work and head to the street market near his home to buy a dinner. Soup noodles were a personal favorite, and he sat down at the long bar of a regular stop.

"Hey, Mako! What's going on? You want the usual?" Mako smiled and nodded. He could smell the broth and the meat and the noodles, and when the owner brought out his meal, he could see the red peppers along the rim of the bowl. His mouth watered.

Hands poised to tuck in, he was interrupted by a poke on his shoulder. He turned, chopsticks in hand, to see Korra standing behind him. She flashed a toothy smile at him.

"Korra! Whoah, I totally didn't notice you there, how great to see you!" He got out of his seat and hugged his friend, still holding onto his chopsticks.

"Mind if I join you?" She asked pleasantly.

"Of course! Hey Wei, the Avatar's here, put her on my bill." Korra grabbed his arm.

"Hey, I can pay for my own meal, Mako!" She said incredulously.

"Well consider it a surprise for surprising me just now. Wasn't expecting to see you! Just take the meal, alright?" Korra put up no further resistance. She ordered a seaweed noodle, a favorite among Water Tribe folks, and turned to chat more with Mako.

Mako was the first to ask a question. "How goes the reconstruction?"

Korra rolled her eyes and began detailing all the frustrations that came with working with councils and governments. She had learned to be more patient as an Avatar, but it still troubled her deeply when politicians clearly were acting for their own election benefits and their own records, and not taking the interest of people to heart. It was a challenge, she admitted to Mako, to not storm out of some of the meetings she had to sit through.

"We spent four hours today arguing over the new boundary lines between the 3rd and 2nd quadrants of the city!" she tugged at her hair in exasperation. Mako curled an eyebrow.

"You actually need to be there for those kinds of discussions?" he asked.

Korra scoffed a little. "Sometimes I don't even know. Two of the council members are fighting because where the line goes will affect how votes are divided come election time. I have to be there as a mediator of conflict, when I can, and I'm finding myself constantly repeating that our first priority when dealing with any new policies is to consider the lives of the people living there. I feel like a broken record!" she sighed, but then continued. "Still. It's a responsibility I have. And I can't pretend like I don't have an impact. We finally ended up compromising today in a way that left both politicians unhappy, but I think will work out for the people who live near that area."

Mako was impressed. More and more he was seeing just how knowledgeable and wise Korra was becoming as an Avatar. The first two and a half years after the fall of Kuvira, Korra had spent most of it in Ba Sing Se, helping the former Prince-King Wu dissolve the antiquated monarchy into a unified republic of independent states. That had been extremely stressful for her, as she outlined in her letters to all of her friends. Unlike the first time she had been gone, Korra held nothing back in keeping her old team informed on her life, and they responded in kind. She had only recently returned to the city, now, to take a much-needed break and to check in on her city.

Sensing the current topic of discussion was over, Mako changed the subject. "How's Asami doing?" he asked. He noticed Korra smile. It was popular knowledge these days that Republic City sported the most powerful couple of all time, Avatar Korra and Future Industries CEO Asami Sato. Mako had been one of the first to know, but he had his own suspicions for a while before they made it official. He may have been a bad boyfriend, but he was a detective and he wasn't stupid.

"She's doing really well. She's out late tonight at a meeting of her own. She tried to explain it to me, something about a contract for fixing up the power grid in the inner-most rim of the city, but I can never understand that stuff."

The two of them slurped more of their noodles, appreciating the conversation they were having. Korra and Asami fit like hand to glove, Mako thought. Asami had even taken months off during Korra's long stay in the Earth Kingdom to keep her company and help her out.

"How about you, Mako? Any new ladies in your life?" Korra asked with a sly inflection at the end. Mako chuckled and drank a heaping spoonful of broth and meat.

"Nah, not really. It's ok though, I'm in no rush these days."

"I'm surprised how patient you've been all this time! Me, Bolin, we've all got ladies in our lives, and you're still just chugging away at the police department. It's admirable, really." Mako laughed at the teasing Korra.

"You know, in the grand scheme of things, I'm doing really well for myself. Every day the city gets a little safer, a little stronger, and that makes me a little stronger too."

Korra stopped, noodles dangling out of her mouth, and looked at Mako.

"I'm really glad that you're feeling so connected to this city, Mako. It makes me proud that I'm working with your police force." she finally said. Mako slurped in agreement.

"Speaking of which, how is the job going? You know, anything new come up?" she asked inquisitively. Mako heaved a big slurp of noodles before responding.

"It's going well. It's funny that you should ask that. I just got some crazy big news today from the Chief." Korra curved an eyebrow. Lin wasn't one to make big news of much of anything.

Mako leaned over and whispered to Korra what he had been told earlier that same day. Korra gasped and choked a little on a rogue noodle. He couldn't help but laugh at her.

"Mako, that's crazy news! Crazy great, but wow. Lin is-"

"Hey say it a little louder why don't you?" Mako hushed Korra immediately. She put her hands to her mouth.

"Oops. Heh heh," she said with a hint of embarrassment. She looked around in a more exaggerated fashion before continuing, "still, congrats, Mako. You deserve this, and I have no doubt you'll do great. And I'll tell you what you told me once. I'll follow you into battle no matter how crazy things get. I have your back, and I always will."

Mako and Korra smiled at each other. Since the breakup of their relationship, which was had been fast and painful, the two had found a better ground for mutual understanding and friendship. They were closer now than they ever were as a couple, and both of them loved the other for it. They had found strong ties through the struggle and learning that was their hasty love.

The two finished their noodles, and Mako left a fat tip for the shop owner. Korra asked if she could walk with Mako a while before leaving, and he had no objections. As the two of them slowly strolled out of the shop, Korra once again turned to speak.

"How's...how's your heart doing?" she asked.

"Gah, it's so weird to get asked that. I'm a young man! I shouldn't have broken bits in me." Mako sighed quietly. "It's alright. I've learned to take it in stride and try to make the rest of me better, to account for it. The doctors say I should be careful, and I'm not one to go playing around with my life for no reason. Still. It hurts. It's like losing a part of you, something you think you can always do or always be. All of a sudden, that ground you're standing on is gone, and you have to build it all back up."

Korra put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Mako. I did what I could when you collapsed. If only I had just-"

"Korra, it's not your fault. I'm just glad you did what you did. Who knows where I would have been if you hadn't been in that room." He smiled at her. "I'm fine. Besides, the whole thing has inspired me to work harder. I'm becoming quite the detective these days. Chief says she's real proud and really confident in me. And that feels good. So my work is paying off in some sense."

The dark night sky fell upon the city, as Korra and Mako arrived at his apartment. It was close to his office, which made it practical. It was cheap living, and the building, on the outside, looked like it was about to slowly collapse like a deflating circus tent.

"Alright, this is my stop. Thanks for hanging out with me, Korra. It was really nice."

Korra smiled back. "Thanks for dinner, Mako. I'm proud of you. Let me know if you ever need anything, and please come to the island and visit some time!"

Mako nodded and opened his door. "Thanks, Korra. I'll see you around."

As he climbed the stairs, he heard the click and whoosh of Korra's glider, as she soared off into the night sky.


End file.
